County council submits plans to erect 50,000 solar panels on land in Soham

Major plans to erect 50,000 solar panels on land in Soham have now been submitted.

Proposals to build a 12 megawatt solar farm on land at Triangle Farm, Angle Common, have been in the pipeline for some time, and Cambridgeshire County Council has now applied to East Cambridgeshire District Council for formal planning permission.

In a statement, the council’s agents, Savills Ltd, said: “The proposed development will generate a peak capacity of 12 megawatts of electricity and will consist of approximately 50,000 individual panels usually set within frames of 40, which will cover an area of approximately 26 hectares.

“The installation is forecast to produce enough electricity to power approximately 3,150 homes per year.

“The site is currently agricultural land, all of which is Grade 3. Areas between the panels will be grazed by sheep, providing the additional benefit of ongoing agricultural activity at the site.”

If approved, the solar farm would be in operation for the next 25 years.

The spokesman said: “After the initial 25-year period, the site will either be decommissioned or returned to agricultural use, or permission will be sought to extend the life of the site for a further number of years.”

The council says the construction of the facilities would take around 16 weeks and that all the panels would be delivered to the site on HGVs.

The spokesman said: “A mesh security fence at the height of 2m would be located around the site of the solar arrays. This is security fencing however it has gates within it to allow wildlife to move across the site.

“CCTV cameras are erected on 3m poles at various intervals along the security fencing. The cameras are inward facing and are monitored regularly.”

Cheshire-based company, Green Energy UK, has recently submitted two screening opinions to the district council for solar farms to be built on land north of Lode Way, Haddenham, and on land at the rear of Otterbush Farm in Redcaps Lane, Little Downham.

The final decision on all the applications lies with the district council. To have your say, visit www.eastcambs.gov.uk.